As with any major announcement, Jodie Whittaker being named the 13th Doctor was a closely guarded secret. So much so, in fact, that higher-ups at BBC braced themselves for spoilers by pretending that the new star of “Doctor Who” was going to be another man — an effort that included using a male body in the visuals presented to their visual-effects house for storyboards of the scene in which the Doctor regenerates.

“The BBC actually had us quote her first scene before we knew it was gonna be Jodie, via storyboards,” Louise Hastings said, according to Radio Times. “And the storyboards had been drawn with a man as the Doctor, so that was a bit of a surprise! I was looking through a list of the favorites to be the Doctor and comparing them to the pictures, but I was wrong, I couldn’t figure it out. They threw us off the scent.”

Whittaker made her official debut as the 13th Doctor during “Twice Upon a Time,” last year’s Christmas special. She’s best known for her appearances in “Broadchurch,” “Attack the Block,” and the “Black Mirror” episode “The Entire History of You.” Her predecessor Peter Capaldi’s tenure began when he took over for Matt Smith in 2017.

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/doctor-who-spoilers-jodie-whittaker-1201929965/feed/31201929965Bill Maher Wants to Know Why the Most Popular Movie of the #MeToo Era Is ‘About a Woman on a Leash’ — Watchhttp://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/bill-maher-me-too-fifty-shades-freed-the-shape-of-water-1201929887/
http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/bill-maher-me-too-fifty-shades-freed-the-shape-of-water-1201929887/#commentsSat, 17 Feb 2018 18:52:34 +0000Michael Nordinehttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201929887

Bill Maher wants to know why, in the era of #MeToo, the most popular movie in America is “Fifty Shades Freed” — a film he describes as being about “a woman on a leash.” During his New Rules segment last night, the controversial TV host turned his attention to the seeming disparity between the growing calls for gender equality and an end to sexual harassment and the content of successful films like “Call Me by Your Name” and “The Shape of Water.”

“2017 was a great year for women because finally men have been put on notice. Harassment is going to be noted now, so you’re going to have to think of another way to meet women,” Maher said before adding that “all men are playing with five fouls now, as we should, but the movement falters if it thinks we can make pain-free the messy transition from two people not in a relationship to two people who are” — something born out by films ranging from “Love Actually” and “Snow White” to “Jerry Maguire” and “Rocky.”

“I’m not saying men act the way they do primarily because of movies,” Maher clarified, “but they have been getting this message for a long time that this is what women want. And it is what women want — but only from men they want it from. Problem is, we don’t know which one we are.”

To prove his point, he brought up four movies from 2017. “‘Beauty and the Beast’ is about a simple country girl who’s kidnapped, but it turns out it’s a prince, so it’s okay. If you think there’s a power imbalance when the conductor dates a cellist, imagine being hit on by a hulking dog-monster,” he said.

“‘Phantom Thread’ is about a powerful older man who picks up a waitress, ‘Call Me by Your Name’ is about a 24-year-old who has a gay affair with a 17-year-old, and ‘The Shape of Water’ is about a cleaning woman in a secret government lab who takes the Creature from the Black Lagoon Home and bangs it in the bathtub. If that’s not workplace sex, it’s certainly stealing office supplies.” Watch the full segment below.

[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Season 3 finale, “Nathan Is Irrelevant.”]

Despite the title “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) has officially gone on the record to reject the idea that she is insane in the series’ Season 3 finale.

Over the course of the past year, Rebecca survived a suicide attempt, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), and even started therapy, all of which seemed to point to progress in treating her mental health. By the end of the season though, events transpired to the point where she was charged with attempted second-degree murder after she accidentally injured someone. When her lawyer and erstwhile boyfriend Nathaniel (Scott Michael Foster) suggested she offer up a plea of insanity, she was sorely tempted at first, but in the end, decided to take responsibility for her actions.

IndieWire spoke to co-creator Aline Brosh McKenna about Rebecca’s decision, which will most likely result in jail time and other harsh sentencing.

“We always knew that the end of this season would be a very low point for her and that it was going to sort of end and her realizing that she’s been in a bit of a fever dream,” said Brosh McKenna. “Somebody [was] saying, ‘You can use your disorder to eschew responsibility.’ And she does not want to label herself crazy. Last season she dealt with something that her mother used to have her eschew responsibility for — what she had done to [an ex-boyfriend] Robert. And in this, she’s saying, ‘I want to take responsibility for this.’

“And obviously, ‘crazy’ and ‘insanity,’ those are all very medically non-meaningful terms. She does have a disorder and does have mental health issues but this is about her saying, ‘In addition or besides that, I have made some decisions that are not great and people have let me off the hook. And now I don’t want to let myself off the hook anymore.’”

Check out additional highlights of our conversation with Brosh McKenna, in which she addressed more details about the finale, that unexpected time jump, Dog Josh, and the show’s end game:

Nathaniel the Ne’er-Do-Well

Although Nathaniel began as the unscrupulous interloper boss who took over Rebecca’s law firm, he’s slowly transformed himself to become a far softer and more loving sort of guy. That doesn’t mean he’s quite figured out all of the moral or ethical nuances of behavior though, as evidenced by the power duet, “Nothing Is Ever Anyone’s Fault.” Check it out below:

“There’s this trope about the uptight, rich asshole who learned to be a wonderful guy because of this quirky girl. That is the trope that we’re playing with with him,” said Brosh McKenna. “He’s learned that backstory and psychology and learning who you are and where you came from is important, but he’s absolutely gleaned the absolute wrong implemented lesson of that, which is, ‘Hey, super, then you can use this as an excuse for anything! So let’s use this to get you off the hook the way that I get myself off the hook for every shitty thing I’ve ever done.’ It made us laugh… to take a well-traveled trope … where a girl makes an asshole realize how to pursue a better path and kind of subvert that.”

Paula’s Rejection

Despite Nathaniel’s very tempting argument (who could resist that power ballad?), Rebecca decided at the 11th hour to face up to her actions while in court. Each of her friends was present in the courthouse except for her BFF Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin), who was still stung by the revelation of Rebecca’s lying. But just as Rebecca was about to plead insanity, Paula showed up, and seeing her friend’s guarded face clinched the decision for Rebecca.

“In a romantic comedy there’s always a character that kind of protects the lead from taking responsibility because she is the one who is going to say, ‘Go to the airport and track him down,’ or ‘Run to the New Year’s Eve party and tell him how you feel.’ She’s the classic sidekick,” said Brosh McKenna. “Without her sidekick, Rebecca has to understand and face her own culpability, which Paula has a tendency to soften for her because Paula is, among other things, co-dependent. And so without Paula there, it’s up to her to use her own intellect and intuition to understand the situation that she’s in. When Paula shows up at the end, that’s when Rebecca is unable to make a choice that she knows is not the right choice for her.”

Heather the Pregnant Dilettante

While Rebecca is dealing relationship woes in the finale, her friend Heather (Vella Lovell) finally has to make good on giving Darryl (Pete Gardner) the baby she’s been carrying for him as a surrogate.

“The thing that’s happening in Rebecca’s storyline is that she is really going to a new level of understanding what her responsibilities are in the world. That’s definitely true for Heather too,” said Brosh McKenna. “She has to follow through on something, and she has to live with the inevitable consequences of the decision she made. Really that’s where those are thematically linked. It’s repercussions. You decide to have someone’s baby for them, you’re going to actually give birth. For Rebecca, she’s made a lot of decisions that are somewhat reckless morally and they all come crashing down on her, so it’s very much an episode about repercussions and responsibility.”

Paula’s Horrifyingly Gross Song

In trying to calm Heather down before giving birth, three-time mother Paula sings a song titled, “Miracle of Birth.” Unfortunately, she dwells a bit too much on the physical aspects of childbirth and ends up scaring Heather even more. Take a listen:

“[Songwriter Jack Dolgen is] in the writers’ room and he works with a lot of women. There are only three men in our writers’ room out of 10 people. We like to horrify them with stuff like ‘Period Sex,’” said Brosh McKenna. “A bunch of the moms sat down with Jack and told him all the gross realities of birth… And then Jack went off and wrote the song with [composer Adam Schlesinger]. What I love is it’s a song about the horrifying nature of birth written two guys after having talked to a bunch of moms. We were on a very tight deadline for the finale. They wrote the song in a couple of hours in our recording studio.”

That Brilliant Time Jump

The series took a massive leap two episodes ago when it introduced an eight-month time jump in the middle of the episode. While Rebecca and Nathaniel were conducting an affair by hooking up in the back room of Home Base, various other characters were also hanging out at the sports bar. In a seamless edit, Heather — who has just become pregnant — walked behind the bar and when she emerged from the other side, she was sporting a significantly larger baby bump. While all the other characters also made big changes in their life, Rebecca and Nathaniel were still hooking up on the sly.

“We wanted to establish the conditions… the first time Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) and Beth (Emma Willmann) met and show here’s where Rebecca is in her relationship and then to jump ahead,” said Brosh McKenna. “We had a character that was pregnant, so that was one of the motivations to move that story forward. But another bigger theme was that everyone in their life was moving forward and whizzing past Rebecca. We wanted to show that she’s in a weird stasis with her relationship with Nathaniel. So having everybody jump ahead — White Josh has gone out of town, Valencia has a new relationship, and Heather’s having a baby — but Rebecca and Nathaniel have kind of frozen in time.”

She added, “That episode is directed by Erin Ehrlich, who has been one of our executive producers since Day One, and so she really understands how we were going to make that work. We worked really closely together. So it ended up being really fun. Somebody brilliant, not me, brought up the idea of using ‘The Moment Is Me’ to transition Heather around the bar. Everything in the bar has changed except for that neon sign, and that was Erin’s idea.”

When Valencia Met Beth

Although Valencia had dated Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III) previously, the show didn’t make a big deal of her developing a relationship with a woman during the time jump. In fact, it felt very natural and matter-of-fact.

“We wanted to show that in her personal life she’s gotten some things sorted out and she’s met somebody who appreciates her and talks to her in a way that Josh never did,” said Brosh McKenna. “We haven’t really seen Valencia in any other romantic situations since Josh. So when she meets someone who thinks she’s funny and appreciates her business — those are two things Valencia cares about. We wanted to show them meeting and that this person latches onto those things about her right away. Then that by the time you see them eight months later, they’re already in a relationship.”

Dog Josh: A Tail of Hound and Furry

While going to Mexico, White Josh (David Hull) also adopted a cute little dog that Josh Chan insists on calling Dog Josh because of its superficial resemblance to both of them.

“Rachel and I for a long time had been saying that White Josh should have a dog… because he seems like someone who doesn’t understand love. They wanted to give him something where he understands love in a really profound way that’s not romantic love. I think I actually was the person who said, ‘Maybe he could be called Dog Josh.’”

Finding the proper dog to embody Dog Josh was an important task. “Tom Cahill, for prop master, who is brilliant worked with some animal wranglers and he brought us maybe five or six dogs,” she said. “We looked for one that looked like David and Vinnie. It was that kind of like snub-nosed look, that kind of slightly flattened, small nose look that had jumped out at us. We think that Dog Josh is some sort of bulldog hybrid who somehow ended up living in squalid circumstances in Mexico. [White Josh has] adopted an orphan because Rachel and I both have rescue dogs.”

The End Is Nigh… If It Gets a Fourth Season

“We haven’t gotten picked up for Season 4. If we’re lucky enough to get a Season 4, that will be it for us. Season 4 will be our last season,” said Brosh McKenna. “We’re trying to kind of round out that journey. Rachel and I pitched this story in four chapters when we started working together. It was always a story about a woman’s descent and her rising up. And we’re excited to tell the back bit of that story.”

[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Season 3 finale, “Nathaniel is Irrelevant.”]

“I’m so excited that our love story can begin.” “Josh Chan must be destroyed.”

It’s only fitting that the third season of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” would end with another shocker of a sendoff, courtesy of Rebecca Bunch. The closing to an unofficial trilogy of Rebecca’s journey from workaholic hurricane of obsession to a more self-aware, introspective version of herself is what this season has been building towards from the start. “I plead guilty” is a pretty striking way to close out a true roller-coaster season — in many ways, it feels like the only logical conclusion.

Both in the episode and season overall, it wasn’t necessarily the cleanest road to get there. But what the show leaves behind at Season 3’s end is the biggest change yet for a volatile heroine, and the decision that almost feels like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” starting over again. That reset button is one that really got pushed two weeks ago with the masterfully executed time jump that kicked off a thrilling season-ending arc. Tracking into the finale, part of that comes from Paul Welsh, who continues to be uproariously unsettling as Trent. Between last week’s incredible opening credits number, him combing his hair in the mirror, and his delivery of the line “Io-was…” it’s appropriately bizarre farewell if Trent’s destined to be consigned to a body cast for the foreseeable future.

But as result of her increasingly haunting visions and a discussion with her therapy support group (a chance for Michael Hitchcock to make one last guest appearance this season, in an episode he co-wrote with director Aline Brosh McKenna), Rebecca decides that it’s time to come clean with everything she’s hidden from the three most important people in her life over as many seasons. Rachel Bloom’s deep breath expression before unleashing a torrent of missteps is the kind of frankness the character’s been searching for in a shifting, post-diagnosis world.

That confession summit is an interesting way to reevaluate all four people involved as the show heads into a hiatus. Josh has felt like an appendage of sorts to the season. Once Rebecca finally moved on, his connection to the series has felt less vital, even if a stripping gig, a great “Singing in the Rain”-inspired number, and a stomach-churning barkeep mishap has kept him in the mix. But it makes sense that he was there for this, especially if Rebecca’s potential jailtime will put extra focus back on the people she’s wronged.

Of course, this boardroom reckoning shows that Rebecca’s not the only person deserving of some long-overdue blame. Between the confessions that earn him a sharp Chan right hook to the jaw and the not-so-flattering nihilism of the ethically murky ballad “Nothing is Anyone’s Fault” (of course the closest the show’s ever come to a Jason Robert Brown song features the line “Energy in space was the ultimate Bad Father!”), it’s clear that Nathaniel still is not a good person. That’s true even if Nathaniel mouthing the word “insanity” in the courtroom is one of his best moments of the season or if “I Go to the Zoo” is the most replayable jam “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” has ever made.

And while the episode may have begun and ended with Rebecca, like most of the strongest parts of the season, this was a showcase for everything that Paula can be. In a finale that leaned a little closer to the surreal and goofy side of what “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” occasionally becomes, Donna Lynne Champlin grounded every single major moment that she was a part of.

Reading seismic revelations from a piece of paper, there’s genuine hurt in Paula’s demeanor. This isn’t just the usual disappointment that Paula sometimes has to shoulder. It’s a breaking point. That she can play that sense of betrayal and, in the seconds right before Rebecca‘s final line, be understanding enough to give her best friend the strength to face the aftermath of her decisions is a testament to how Champlin’s elevated the character from sidekick to a fully developed woman all her own.

Goodness, and that’s all after “The Miracle of Birth,” another show-stopping Paula sequence worthy of ancestors “Maybe This Dream,” “Face Your Fears,” and “The First Penis I Saw.” Rhyming “went, uh” with “placenta” is lyrical wizardry, a trick to which Champlin adds the perfect final touch. No other actress alive could put that same frisson on the word “mucus,” either.

And the callbacks. Ohhhhhh, the callbacks. The song titles alone would have been enough. (Though, with Nathaniel and Darryl both saying it, we’d be lying if we didn’t say that we hoped a third invocation of “Having a few people over” would lead to a full-blown reprise.) But by squeezing in “Group Hang,” “After All [She’s] Done for You,” and “You Stupid Bitch,” it’s almost like the soundtrack was clearing house just as much as Rebecca was.

But the two most important songs for this episode were also ones that were not sung. Rebecca nodding to the Season 2 opening credits, saying that she wants to be “held responsible for her actions,” might have been one shade too on-the-nose for the climactic moment. But if the intent is to lay the groundwork for everything we’ve seen of this character so far, that’s one last goodbye to what Rebecca used to be.

But the final touch, even after those final affirmative seconds, is “I’m a Good Person” over the end credits. (Listen for it on the DVD.) When Rebecca sang that song on Season 1, it was a shining example of the disconnect between how she was seen and her own self-denial. Now that she’s finally begun to accept that responsibility, she’ll still have to reckon with whether her decision to throw herself at the mercy of the Los Angeles County legal system is a true act of absolution.

Whatever conclusion she or the judge arrive at, this finale also gave a chance to bring the Whitefeather/Plimpton employees back to the fold, after they took somewhat of a backseat to the messy Nathaniel and Rebecca drama. George delivers heat-seeking missiles of truth to both lovesick co-workers, Tim gets the blood-curdling shriek after Trent gets pushed off the rooftop, and Maya gets to explain her love for the baby name Rufus. Regardless of how Season 4 progresses, here’s hoping the future doesn’t lose sight of the law firm support staff.

Two other people the show hopefully has a plan for? Darryl and Heather, who made the most out of this finale’s B(irth)-plot. Fast-forwarding Heather’s pregnancy was probably the best move in the long run, particularly since it’s becoming more and more difficult to have a birth scene that doesn’t lean on cliches. (A dream ballet with pre-schoolers was far more illustrative!) But by skipping over all the lead-up to Baby Heabecca, it’s another case of this finale tying its effectiveness to events that are still over the horizon. So much of the success of this turning point depends on where the show goes afterwards (and whether David Wain gets to come back as the doctor who, like the Waiters Who Are Nauseated by Food, reaches for the trash bucket after Paula’s description of the birthing process).

Even after her diagnosis earlier this season, a slightly changed Rebecca still had so many chances to backslide and to do the bare minimum to change. So “Nathaniel is Irrelevant.” doesn’t seem like a series finale. Of the three season-ending episodes, this is the one that even in coming full circle would be the most heartbreaking to not see what comes after. The fairytale ending of Season 1 ended exactly the way that Rebecca wanted. The crazy wish fulfillment of Season 2 ended with a strange, renewed sense of purpose. In a season where Rebecca felt the most conflicted and the show’s tone and approach sometimes matched that, the ending was never going to be as clean and happy as those last words may indicate.

So what comes next? For the first time in the show’s history, that’s not abundantly clear. It’s a radical departure for a radical show. If a next chapter is on its way, it’ll be the most important one yet. (And if it isn’t, we’ll always have Dog Josh.)

Grade: B+

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix. Season 3 episodes are available on The CW App and cwtv.com.

Ellen DeGeneres has done it again. The star’s new NBC unscripted series “Ellen’s Game of Games” has become the biggest alternative series launch during the regular season in two years, since the premiere of the Peacock’s “Little Big Shots” — which DeGeneres also executive produces.

“Ellen’s Game of Games” features host DeGeneres (who executive producers through her A Very Good Television Production shingle) as she puts contestants through a wide variety of stunts, quizzes and games as first seen on her daytime talk show. “Game of Games” premiered on Jan. 2 with back-to-back episodes that averaged a strong 2.5 rating and 2.7 rating. The show was almost immediately renewed for a second season based on those numbers. Serving as the Tuesday night lead-in to “This Is Us,” the show has also benefited a bit from that hit’s halo.

“Ellen’s enthusiasm and energy is utterly infectious,” NBC Entertainment alternative president Paul Telegdy said when he renewed the show last month. “It’s been exciting to watch her antics supersized on a primetime stage.”

Hosted by Steve Harvey, “Little Big Shots” was an even bigger phenomenon when it premiered in 2016, and spawned the spinoff “Little Big Shots: Forever Young.” Like “Game of Games,” “Little Big Shots” was inspired by a segment on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” — in that case, one where she features child performers.

Besides those two unscripted shows, DeGeneres is also an executive producer on ABC’s new comedy “Splitting Up Together” and Netflix’s animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.”

Meanwhile, the biggest story of the week, of course, was the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, which led the week’s ratings charts even though it didn’t start until last Thursday. The Opening Ceremonies averaged 29.2 million viewers on linear TV — making it the most-watched Friday night in four years, according to NBC, besting four World Series games, two NBA Finals games and all three Fridays of the Rio Olympics.

In cable, Atlanta ruled: Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” was the top-rated program of the week (1.4 rating). And according to Xfinity, “This Is Us” continues as the most-watched show on demand.

“I thought John C. Reilly could be a different McNulty, certainly not the same, but I thought he could carry all of the excesses and vices of McNulty in a different way,” Simon says. “I’ve loved his work in a lot of stuff. I was on the phone with him. It was three weeks before Halloween [2001], because I was in a corn maze with my kid, Ethan, who would have been like seven, six. So, I’m trying to keep up with my kid, who’s running around like a madman in this maze, and that’s when John C. Reilly called me back. I really couldn’t take the call. I talked to him for maybe five minutes, and I said, “‘Hey, listen, can I call you back? I’m in a corn maze with my kid.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, yeah. Call me back.’ In the time between when he called me and when I called him back, he stopped taking calls. He later told Dom [West, who got the role] that his wife was like, ‘We are not moving to Baltimore.'”

Season 2 will have one director, but it’s not Jean-Marc Vallée.

“Fish Tank” and “American Honey” director Andrea Arnold will direct all seven episodes of Season 2. In addition to being behind the camera, Arnold will serve as an executive producer, as Vallée did last season. (Vallée, whose next project is HBO’s latest big literary miniseries adaptation, “Sharp Objects,” will also stay on in an EP role.)

This won’t be Arnold’s first trip to TV — she’s previously worked on episodes of “I Love Dick” and “Transparent.”

Liane Moriarty’s picking up where her novel left off.

David E. Kelley is writing all seven scripts, as he did for the opening season. Instead of working from the Moriarty novel of the same name, Kelley will take his cue from a story written directly by Moriarty herself. The author addressed the possibility of a Season 2 back when “Big Little Lies” won Best Limited Series at last year’s Emmys.

Meryl. Streep.

Fresh off her 21st Oscar nod, Streep is in line to play the role of Mary Louise Wright, the grieving mother of Perry Wright, who died after a fall down concrete steps at the close of Season 1. There are few shows who wouldn’t want to have her as part of the cast, but the idea for Streep to play Mary Louise came as Moriarty was writing what became the basis for Season 2.

All the main original cast members are returning, too.

Stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman announced their return when Arnold was revealed as the director behind Season 2. Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and Laura Dern are all on board as well, re-upping for the second season.

When is Season 2 debuting?

Reports from late last year pointed to a spring start date on production. Given that timeline, a late 2018 premiere isn’t out of the question, especially as HBO looks to clear a wide berth for the return of “Game of Thrones.” But if this were to premiere in advance of going back to Westeros, the network is shaping up for a wild 2019.

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/big-little-lies-season-2-everything-to-know-cast-release-date-hbo-1201929715/feed/01201929715‘Everything Sucks!’ Review: Season 1 Is a Beautiful Coming Out Story Buried Under an Avalanche of ’90s Nostalgiahttp://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/everything-sucks-review-netflix-90s-series-season-1-1201928831/
http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/everything-sucks-review-netflix-90s-series-season-1-1201928831/#respondFri, 16 Feb 2018 21:00:41 +0000Ben Travershttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201928831

“Everything Sucks!” has a very simple problem that could — but likely won’t — be remedied should future seasons come to pass: It’s too obsessed with the ’90s. Filled with slap bracelets and Zima, “Beavis and Butthead” impressions and “Pulp Fiction” speeches, a soundtrack cribbed from “Now That’s What I Call Music” Vols. 33 – 37 and baggy clothes any grunge kid would’ve been proud to wear to a Nirvana concert, the Netflix original series manufactures too many moments solely to reference a decade only recently being mined for ‘member berries.

While that can work for plenty of period pieces — just look how well “Stranger Things” utilized its ’80s aesthetic — here it’s at the expense of a heartfelt story in need of more earnest attention. All the “as ifs” and “Run Forrest, run!”‘s spoil a unique and stirring coming out story (not to mention a compelling performance from Peyton Kennedy) — a story that takes a while to get going in the first place. By the time “Everything Sucks!” gets around to its valuable point, you’ve probably already taken the title at face value. But not everything sucks in the latest underdeveloped Netflix series. You just gotta have faith.

The new 10-episode series wastes zero time citing its setting: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get” blasts out before anything even pops up on screen, and here are just a handful of ’90s touchstones that are introduced before any of the actual characters: hacky sacks, paper fortune tellers, troll dolls, slap bracelets, the “new” “Star Wars” movies, and the sincere use of the word “phat.” Only after viewers are firmly aware of the time period, awash with memories of their own youth, do we meet Luke (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) and his friends, McQuaid (Rio Mangini) and Tyler (Quinn Liebling).

The new freshmen walk into school and become immediately enamored with The A.V. Club, but Luke’s adolescent interests don’t end there: He falls hard — harder than Michelle fell off her horse — for Kate Messner (Kennedy), an older student and camera operator for the school’s news broadcast. The two strike up a friendship while Lucas plans the best way to ask her out, and the scene seems to be set perfectly for more period-appropriate coming-of-age references: “Clueless” and “The Sandlot” feel right around the corner.

But then a glimmer of (Chicago) hope shines through these overly familiar clouds: Kate doesn’t seem interested in Luke. It’s not that he’s younger than her or shorter than her or just the wrong guy for her — it’s that he’s a guy. During the first season, Kate slowly comes to grips with her homosexuality, and almost every aspect of her journey is told with the elegance and compassion largely lacking from the rest of the series. “Everything Sucks!” isn’t just a hackneyed coming-of-age story; it’s a terrific coming out story.

To say there’s not enough of the latter would be an understatement. Ben York Jones and Michael Mohan’s scripts work overtime to build a larger story around Kate. There’s a movie to be made; Luke has to get over himself a lot; his friends get half-baked arcs where they supposably come out of their shells. But very few of these efforts are worth it, and “Everything Sucks!” often falls back on its “Hey, remember the ’90s?” trappings to try to make up for a lack of consistent depth. (No episode is longer than 27 minutes, and most hover around 22 or 23, which is something more Netflix comedies should adhere to, but also indicates a lack of overall substance in this case.)

Once you get about halfway through the season, “Everything Sucks!” dials in; it starts trusting its story about Kate, the narrative gets the go-ahead to “giddy up!” and things really start clicking. Kennedy’s quiet, anxious, and excitable turn makes Kate identifiable in her childlike curiosity, timidity, and wonder. Many of Kennedy and Kate’s best scenes are dialogue-free, as the actress conveys so much of what her character is going through with fervent glances and patient, processing stares. She is present all the time (even if her less dynamic co-stars aren’t always ready to match her).

By the end of its brief season, viewers will likely want to forgive “Everything Sucks!” its early follies. There are tremendous scenes, if not whole episodes, that send the show out on a high. But it’s as easy to argue that more missteps will be made in a hypothetical second season as it is to say the show grew out of them. How Jones and Mohan set up Season 2 is far too slight, ending on a cliffhanger that’s earned, but not all that interesting, and a missed opportunity that was obviously only held to save something for later. Perhaps if it wrapped up Kate’s arc, we could look back on Season 1 as fondly as the series remembers the ’90s. Instead, it’s a relief the pop culture onslaught is over. Have mercy.

Jordan Peele and Tiffany Haddish have been having a great run lately. Now they’re bringing that momentum to TV.

TBS released a first look at “The Last O.G.,” a new comedy co-created by Peele and co-starring Haddish and Tracy Morgan.

Morgan stars as Tray, recently released from prison to find his world much different than the one he left behind 15 years ago. One big change is that his ex-girlfriend Shay (Haddish) is not only married, but raising two twin children he didn’t even realize he had.

The show also includes Cedric the Entertainer, along with Taylor Mosby, Dante Hoagland, and Allen Maldonado.

This is Morgan’s first regular role on a TV show since “30 Rock” went off the air in 2013. Haddish can currently be seen in the hit summer comedy “Girls Trip” (and this glorious clip from truTV’s “Talk Show the Game Show”).

Watch the full trailer for “The Last O.G.” (including Morgan doing the full pre-tip LeBron chalk toss move) below:

Much like “‘Die Hard’ on a…” became the popular action movie pitch of the 90s, “‘Game of Thrones,’ but…” has been the basis of a number of TV ploys over the past half-decade. The latest attempt at capturing the rugged, racy appeal of the HBO behemoth might just be the best so far. “Brittania,” a Sky import that’s been available on Amazon since late January, is built from some of the same DNA, even if it takes its cues from history rather than tomes of fantasy source material.

Right from the top, it takes an obscene amount of confidence to use “Hurdy Gurdy Man” as a theme song, a track that should’ve been retired forever after being used to perfection in David Fincher’s “Zodiac.” But if “Britannia” was a song, it would be much closer to prog rock than the eerie strains of Donovan. A psychedelic mix of brutality, witchcraft, and mental gamesmanship, there’s far more here than just a simple knock-off.

But if you’re looking for something to tide you over for the rest of the calendar year as the final season of “Game of Thrones” approaches, there’s no better time to look at this drama set on the shores of Britain in the heart of the first century.

Here are some of the best reasons why the show feels familiar and wildly different at the same time:

Shaky Family Dynamics

Where some shows get the opportunity to build for seasons and show the importance of family names to their story, “Britannia” subverts that almost instantly. Showing a rift in the Cantii tribe’s ruling philosophy from the outset, it captures a family on shaky ground. It connects with the overwhelming feeling of destiny that the characters of “Britannia” bind their identities to or spend every waking moment railing against. As Kerra (Kelly Reilly) grows into her role as a key decision maker in this operatic power struggle, her desires put her in conflict, one by one, with every member of her family. Her combined successes and failures help form the backbone of the series.

Very Fragile Alliances

In the early going, before a widespread conflict is guaranteed, the maneuverings between Roman general Aulus (David Morrissey) and his potential comrades in invasion make for a murky sense of whose side everyone is on. There’s a lot of testing of allegiances — even for people who make tremendous physical sacrifices and do unspeakable things in the name of proving their loyalty, there’s no guarantee that that translates into a get out of debt free card. With royal palace intrigue on one side and brute military force and the other, the show gets to investigate both of those ideas in strategic ways. There are scenes of brutal conflict, to be sure, but much of Season 1 is given over to secret negotiations. It’s convoluted at times, overly convenient at others, and a welcome alternative to oppressive brute force, especially when those demands verge on petty.

Brutal Violence

Whether as a means of pushing what’s acceptable on Sky standards or as a way to fully embrace the brutality of 46 AD, the “Britannia” brand of torture is very distinct. Whether it be soldiers getting arrows shot straight to their skull (Chimney-style) or people getting flayed alive in pursuit of information on the enemy, there are ruthless players on each side of this historical divide. (Connoisseurs of people shrieking in pain will find a rich tapestry in these characters’ treatment of prisoners.) The more intense the violence becomes, it finds a certain level of horror in how commonplace it becomes. Dismembered limbs and heads and torsos on tree branches and stakes and spears? By Episode 5, you’re barely batting an eye.

Ye Olde Magicks

If burning leeches didn’t get enough of your blood flowing, the Druid mysticism of this show puts antiquated medieval perceptions of magic to shame. Between, smoke-induced hallucinations, mind control, a couple guilt ghosts, and a solstice celebration that looks like Ancient Britain’s hedonistic Coachella, this is a series that’s not afraid to plant itself in a realm beyond the living every once in a while. Whether it’s Aulus or the wandering Druid exile Divis (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), “Britannia” busts out the fish-eye lens and blurred frame edges for a visual style bent on sharing its characters disorientation. It’s a messy, unpredictable look that can be chaotic at times, but when unseen mystical forces are guiding the fates of entire kingdoms, it somehow makes sense.

The Future is Female

While the warring sides threaten to war themselves into oblivion, “Britannia” has a Season 1 storyline on the outskirts that’s probably more compelling than all the backchannel negotiations. Cait (Eleanor Worthington-Cox), trying to avenge the loss of a family member, goes on a quest through unforgiving terrain for answers and revenge. That sequence of events may sound familiar, but few shows have a character quite like Cait, a fierce warrior in the making who is not defined by her own vulnerabilities. She more than holds her own against her countryside-traversing counterparts and once the show makes it clear what part she plays in this power struggle, “Britannia” becomes a far more cohesive story.

Juicy One-Liners

Bringing in veteran British actors lends a certain amount of gravitas to your period piece. But aside from the era-specific costumes and the added layer of regal authority to any potential battle scenes, “Britannia” gives some of its most worthy performers a chance to deliver some classic olden putdowns. “I shit on the souls of your dead” is an unimpeachable insult, delivered with absolute perfect glee by Antedia, Queen of the Regni (Zoe Wanamaker, who gets her fair share of triumphant screen-stealing moments throughout Season 1). Also, David Morrissey deserves an Emmy for making “You’re not really in the territory until you’ve had a good dump!” sound like something that a conquering Roman general would happily tell a member of his legion.

Actors Playing To/Against Their Own Image

Morrissey, probably best known to American audiences for his stint as The Governor on “The Walking Dead,” plays another character who his adversaries see as something not quite human. Even with a few extra scenery-chewing moments, he’s still a well-chosen genre heel. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Crook is downright unrecognizable as the enigmatic, timeless figure Veran, a shaman-like figure in the Druid camp whose pierced fingertips are the only thing more unsettling than the eventual power he wields over the Cantii’s collective consciousness. And anyone who ever basked in the glory of Ian McDiarmid delivering a sinister “No” to past onscreen underlings, there are a few surprises in store for you there as well.

(Playing on Amazon is a true blessing for this series. The streaming service’s X-Ray feature not only gives actor names and filmographies for anyone appearing in a particular scene, it gives character names as well. Having characters address each other by name often feels like a cheap TV shortcut to familiarity, but for a show like “Britannia,” where putting a literal name to a face can help an audience wade through each successive plot machination, that extra resource is definitely a welcome one.)

Blind Polytheistic Adherence

The metaphysical parts of the show often tie religion to fate. How do the desires and ambitions of the individual come in conflict with the health and future of a community, especially in a time of great political upheaval? In stories and actions, that sense of sacrifice is something that runs deeply through the hearts of leaders on both sides of this fight. In Westeros, the old gods and the new are more of an invocation of history rather than a deep examination of religious beliefs. Mystical forces are more an extension of individual cults of personality than conduits for the connective tissue that can guide an entire people. Here, there is a sense of subservience that makes for a more dynamic show, one that hues closer to crises of faith even Kevin Garvey might appreciate.

Love on a Chessboard

Even as it shows people getting carved alive, “Britannia” strategically pulls back on its love scenes (well, as much as a show with an orgy tent can realistically do). There are few delusions about sex being anything other than power in this universe, as a means to forge alliances, control male supplicants, or even possibly bring about the heir to an unseen deity. In the process, marital alliances can be as fleeting as the ones on the battlefield. One satisfying way the standard sword-and-shield script gets flipped: Amena (Annabel Scholey), a fiery member of the Cantii royal family has two husbands, whose affection she plays against each other for her own benefit.

Anything Can Happen

Like “Game of Thrones,” that sense of pervasive danger also rears its head when no characters, regardless of how central they may seem to the story, are safe. Characters you’d expect to be ongoing beacons of hope find themselves on the wrong end of a blade more than once in the opening handful of episodes. Untethered from any guiding index of pre-established works (except for maybe recorded history), there’s a liberty to these characters that lets the magic, mercy, and ambition of its major players waver with each passing meeting. As far as the Romans’ involvement, those familiar “SPQR” legion banners from epics past have an air of inevitability to them. But the way this show plays with timelines and a very specific scope means that even though the history books are written, “Britannia” is free to plot a course at any speed it wishes.

All nine episodes of “Britannia” Season 1 are currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

It takes precisely zero seconds for the new Netflix show “Everything Sucks!” to lean into its ’90s soundtrack. The opening horns of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get” start up before we even get to see any of the series regulars, much less know them.

That commitment to ubiquitous ’90s classics is probably the reason that it’s almost impossible for any review of “Everything Sucks!” to avoid using the word “nostalgia.” But with a little more screentime under the show’s belt, music actually plays a pivotal role in how the show evolves. One character finds their emotional and romantic awakening in the sounds of Tori Amos, while one particular cassette tape makes a memorable appearance towards the end of the season.

Sure, the series has a few tracks that would get you Alternative Radio Bingo before you watched for even an hour. (For the life of me, I can believe that a show about first-year high school students would use The Verge’s “The Freshmen.” And if they really wanted to use some Spin Doctors, they should have gone for the “Sesame Street” version of “Two Princes.”)

But much like the show overall, the music choices get sharper as the season goes on. The later episodes do have their obvious picks too, but for every “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” there’s a choice Ride or Elastica cut right on its heels.

Out of context, not many of these songs aren’t necessarily big spoilers. So if you’re looking for a primer before diving headfirst into the throwback high school world of Boring, Oregon, here’s an overview of what you should expect to hear.

[Note: Even though a few more songs come up in conversation (or are played/sung by one of the characters), we stuck to recordings that the audience actually hears.]

Picked out any tunes in the background that we may have overlooked? Let us know in the comments. Either way, “Everything Sucks!” Season 1 is now available to stream on Netflix.

Jimmy Kimmel opened the February 15 episode of his ABC late-night take show by criticizing Donald Trump and begging the President to finally take action on gun control laws in America. Kimmel’s monologue was a response to the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 students were killed and more than a dozen were injured by a teenage gunman.

“Children are being murdered.”Kimmel said while he fought back tears. “Do something! We still haven’t even talked about it. You still haven’t done anything about it. You’ve literally done nothing.”

In the aftermath of the shooting, Trump gave a speech in which he said that no child or teacher should be afraid of their lives while at school. Kimmel said he agreed with the President, but he finds it ridiculous Trump can say this and then proceed to do nothing about changing the country’s gun control laws.

“It’s time to bring it, we need it,” Kimmel said. “Tell these congressmen and lobbyists who infest that swamp you said you were going to drain, force these allegedly Christian men and women who stuff their pockets with money from the NRA year after year after year to do something. Now. Not later. Now.”

Ronan Farrow’s latest in-depth exposé for The New Yorker targets Donald Trump and reveals his alleged affair with former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The article arrives just over four months after Farrow’s bombshell New Yorker stories about Harvey Weinstein’s systematic sexual abuse in Hollywood. Farrow spoke with McDougal about her consensual affair with the current President before he was elected.

The alleged affair began after Trump met McDougal at the Playboy Mansion in June 2006. The mansion was being used to throw a party for Trump’s NBC series “The Apprentice.” Trump had been married to Melania for just under two years when the affair began. McDougal says Trump tried to impress her at the party, even offering her money as she was leaving. As the affair developed, McDougal claims Trump introduced her to his family and invited her to celebrity events. She allegedly ended the nine month relationship in April 2007.

Farrow’s article also details the extensive efforts made by Trump to cover up the affair. He allegedly made McDougal pay for her own flights and would reimburse her at a later date so that he wouldn’t leave a money trail. Trump also reportedly used his relationship with American Media, Inc. (AMI) and its chief David Pecker to protect himself against his affair being leaked to the public.

The AMI-owned National Enquirer was set to pay McDougal $150,000 for exclusive rights to the affair story, but they ended up killing the piece. Farrow spoke with Jerry George, a former AMI senior editor, who told him that the company never published anything about Trump without his approval.

Head over to The New Yorker to read Farrow’s full article about Donald Trump’s affair and coverup.

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was a staple on many childhood television sets, inspiring us with messages of kindness and imagination. For one night in 2018, kindness will return to the world when PBS celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic children’s series. In “Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like,” celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, Sarah Silverman, Judd Apatow, Yo-Yo Ma, John Lithgow, and Esperanza Spalding discuss their own experiences with the show. Michael Keaton will serve as host for this trip down memory lane, which will feature archived performances from Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, and more in addition to tributes.

In advance of the special, The Fred Rogers Company has released a video with highlights of some of those tributes. For instance, Judd Apatow calls Fred Rogers “the bar for how I would like to behave,” while Esperanza Spalding says that she was inspired to be a musician because she watched the show.

To further commemorate the occasion, the network will also be airing a week-long event beginning on February 26. On each day, an episode of animated spinoff series “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” will be paired with the episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” that inspired it.

The series may have ended in 2001, but its legacy still endures. The 50th anniversary tribute special, “Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like,” will air on PBS on March 6. Check out the special preview below.

“I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me,” Tambor said in a statement. “I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterization of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow cast mates. In our four-year history of working together on this incredible show, these accusations have NEVER been revealed or discussed directly with me or anyone at Amazon. Therefore, I can only surmise that the investigation against me was deeply flawed and biased toward the toxic politicized atmosphere that afflicted our set. As I have consistently stated, I deeply regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone and I will continue to vehemently defend myself. I also deeply regret that this ground-breaking show, which changed so many lives, is now in jeopardy. That, to me, is the biggest heartbreak.”

The sexual harassment scandal surrounding Tambor’s exit, and Tambor’s counter allegations that he was railroaded by Amazon and Soloway, will cast a pall over the next season of “Transparent,” no matter what the series now does. Nonetheless, there is plenty of precedent for series continuing without their top star (Netflix’s “House of Cards” is undergoing similar adjustments). But what will that mean to the series and its fans? IndieWire’s TV team discussed where “Transparent” might go from here.

LIZ SHANNON MILLER: The news that “Transparent” has officially parted ways with its Emmy-winning star isn’t a huge shock, given that the allegations of sexual harassment regarding Jeffrey Tambor have circulated long enough without being disproved, and that creator Jill Soloway doesn’t seem like the type to tolerate that sort of behavior. But it does mean that the Amazon dramedy has a massive hurdle in front of it, as so much of “Transparent” was built around the personal journey of Maura.

Of course, the show has a strong ensemble behind it, featuring amazing performances from folks like Gaby Hoffman, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Judith Light, and Kathryn Hahn. But Tambor competed in the Lead Actor in a Comedy category for a reason, and so many shows that have lost their default star have struggled to recover. From your perspective, Jude, if “Transparent” chooses not to move on and recast Maura, will the show survive?

JUDE DRY: I think the show has a loyal fan base that is eager to see if Soloway can rise to the challenge. Even though Season 4 did not rake in as many Emmy nods as previous seasons, Amazon still renewed the show, which means the viewership must be significant enough. Maura is the heart and soul of the show, and Tambor was excellent in the role, but fans have become equally as attached to the other characters. Maura is the backbone, but Ali (Gaby Hoffman) has been exploring gender fluidity throughout the last two seasons, wearing suits and beginning to use “they/them” pronouns.

Ali could easily take over as the show’s central trans character, although that still leaves the problem of Hoffman being cisgender. At this stage of the show’s life and the evolution of trans storytelling, there are far fewer genderfluid characters on TV, making it a ripe subject to explore. “Transparent” always took flak for the fact that Tambor is cis, and in a bittersweet way his departure may help the show with audiences who were critical for this very reason. If nothing else, audiences will be curious to see how the world of the show takes shape without Maura — at least enough to tune in.

MICHAEL SCHNEIDER: Looking at this from a strategic perspective, the departure of Tambor should at the very least conjure up some fresh interest in a show that had fallen out of the pop culture zeitgeist (much similar to what Netflix is about to experience with the final season of “House of Cards,” now that Robin Wright is the lead and Kevin Spacey is out of the picture). “Transparent” was an early critical and awards success for Amazon Prime, making it a valuable property in that sense — but it wasn’t believed to be a heavily viewed show, especially in its later seasons.

Amazon is moving somewhat away from character study shows like “Transparent” as it chases broader audiences with splashier franchises like “The Lord of the Rings.” That means series similar in scope like Tig Notaro’s “One Mississippi” and Soloway’s “I Love Dick” have already been canceled by the service, and “Transparent,” once the darling of Amazon Prime, is now more of a legacy show than a priority. But at least this now gives Soloway a chance to conjure up fresh interest in “Transparent” by seeing what comes next, and with it, more media attention.

Still, in the history of TV, these curiosity bumps are usually temporary. Series that lose the No. 1 on their call sheet mid-run can continue to carry on for some time after a switch in direction, but it’s often times never the same. (Usually it’s a death — like John Ritter in “8 Simple Rules” — or a contractural dispute, like Valerie Harper in “Valerie,” that forces such a change.) “Transparent” needed to mix things up, so this could be a blessing for the show — but the pressure’s on to come up with something big. (I personally liked Ben Travers’ idea of keeping Maura as a character, but replacing Tambor with an actual trans performer — not only would that make an important statement, but it would be a great opportunity to cultivate a new star.)

HANH NGUYEN: Approaching this purely from a recasting perspective, this is not the first time a main character has needed to be replaced in recent history. Recasting can be done, just as long as everyone else is in place and the story is strong enough. As Ben Travers had outlined, Maura could be recast with a transgender actress, which would be a win for representation. Another option could be to write out Maura and refocus on another, new transgender parent’s story. In particular, we can look to broadcast for successful ways to plug a new person into the ensemble.

On “Two and a Half Men,” the erratic Charlie Sheen was written off and replaced by the more reliable Ashton Kutcher for an additional four seasons. And over on “Kevin Can Wait,” the CBS comedy spent less than a minute explaining the death of the character played by Erinn Hayes before subbing in Leah Remini. Both instances worked with the formula that was in place but used recognizable names as draws. Also, keep in mind that while Maura was the beating heart of the show, let’s not forget that Pfeffermans as a clan have offered up some affecting storytelling, and how they continue to deal with their various challenges, which ended in cliffhangers last season, need to be addressed.

BEN TRAVERS: As always, it’s important to remember the past when discussing the future. “Transparent” began as a personal story based on Soloway’s own experience with a trans parent: To move away from that central figure would be to change the show entirely, which certainly factors into the argument for recasting Maura, preferably with a trans actor. While it’s exciting to think about what Soloway & Co. can do with a new creative challenge — especially coming off their weakest, though far from bad, season yet — Maura’s story demands closure, and that could be hard to pull off without Maura returning in some form.

One maybe-not-too-crazy idea: If Maura died, moved, or otherwise left the show, “Transparent” has had great success using flashbacks. Perhaps the writers could use them again to provide closure for Maura’s final fate, using the past to frame what happens to her in the present.

]]>http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/transparent-jeffrey-tambor-debate-1201929414/feed/31201929414‘Portlandia’: Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein Want To Reunite One Day, But Not In a Cheesy Movie — Turn It On Podcasthttp://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/portlandia-fred-armisen-carrie-brownstein-kyle-maclachlan-turn-it-on-podcast-1201929288/
http://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/portlandia-fred-armisen-carrie-brownstein-kyle-maclachlan-turn-it-on-podcast-1201929288/#respondThu, 15 Feb 2018 21:43:33 +0000Michael Schneiderhttp://www.indiewire.com/?p=1201929288

“Portlandia” has successfully skewered modern relationships, pop culture and well-meaning misguided characters over the course of eight seasons. But looking back, Carrie Brownstein admits that she cringes at a few older sketches that don’t necessarily hold up.

In particular, Fred Armisen’s characters make references early in the show’s run to Netflix — but the mail-order DVDs, not the streaming service. “That’s one thing that bothers me,” Brownstein said. “You’re apt to make something that becomes dated because of technology. You’re not immune to it. But I hate it so much!”

Still, for a show that is filmed months in advance and can’t be timely, “Portlandia” has mostly managed to be in the zeitgeist. Think about the sketch years ago about spoiler alerts (which has become even more relevant in this Peak TV age) or the infamous Colin the chicken sketch, which took the idea of farm-to-table to a whole different level. This season, Brownstein plays an executive who’s recently promoted at work after 17 years in a male-dominated office, yet all her colleagues want to do pat themselves on the back for not harassing her.

“That kind of sketch could have been written the first season,” she said. “I don’t know if that makes it better or worse… We’re trying to write from our own experiences and things we’ve been observing and phenomena that has a timeless feel, since we can’t write the show and put it out the same night.”

IndieWire’s Turn It On recently sat down with Fred and Carrie to discuss the end of the show, and how these two musicians compare it to a band putting out a final album — but not ruling out a reunion tour. Listen below!

“Portlandia” may be forever linked with the city of Portland, but the show is really about the kinds of people on the show, most of whom can be found everywhere. “What we were so interested in was the way people performed couplehood or how does an ideology manifest itself in a city,” Brownstein said.

The show’s segments also came along at a time when people were just beginning to share bite-sized videos and memes on social media. Some “Portlandia” sketches have become iconic, as have characters like Candace and Toni, the second wave feminists who owned the Women and Women First bookstore, the gender-bending Nina and Lance, the “put a bird on it” entrepreneurs Bryce and Lisa, the couple Claire and Doug, and Fred and Carrie as versions of themselves.

Guest stars over the years have included Kyle MacLachlan, who has frequently returned as the mayor of Portland.

“Fred and Carrie are brilliant,” MacLachlan said. “They created a show that poked fun at what was happening around all of us, but did it in a gentle and loving way. It’s such a great approach that they took.”

MacLachlan also said he remains in close contact with David Lynch — he had just been at the filmmaker’s home with Laura Dern the previous day (a photo of their breakfast later went viral) and that he has reiterated that if asked, he would serve on another season of “Twin Peaks.”

Armisen and Brownstein said they probably wouldn’t want to turn one of their sketches into a film — although “Portlandia” is also executive produced by Lorne Michaels, even he has stopped doing that with “SNL.” But nonetheless, they do hope to reunite at some point.

“We love working with each other, and who knows what form it would take, but there’s no such thing as never again,” he said.

Added Brownstein: “I’m going to replace you with a hot 22-year-old guy.”

IndieWire’s “TURN IT ON with Michael Schneider” is a weekly dive into what’s new and what’s now on TV — no matter what you’re watching or where you’re watching it. With an enormous amount of choices overwhelming even the most sophisticated viewer, “TURN IT ON” is a must-listen for TV fans looking to make sense of what to watch and where to watch it.

Jeffrey Tambor will not be returning to “Transparent” for Season 5. Amazon Studios confirmed to Deadline that Tambor has been removed from the series following a company investigation into sexual harassment allegations made against the actor. Tambor’s involvement with the series was unclear in the aftermath of the allegations, with The New York Times reporting last December that Tambor had no plans to quit. Amazon has now officially parted ways with Tambor.

Tambor was first accused of sexual harassment by his former assistant, Van Barnes. “Transparent” co-star Trace Lysette shared her own harassment allegation shortly after. Amazon launched an investigation into the claims, which ended in Tambor being removed from the series. Tambor has been the headlining star for the series’ entire run, winning two Emmys for the role.

Lysette alleges Tambor pressed up against her and made inappropriate comments to her on set. She went on record saying the show should continue without Tambor. “Like, come on,” she told The Times, “we have a lot to share, and the world wants to see it, and I just think that it sucks that so much rides on these leading men.”

Tambor responded to the allegations in a statement to Deadline, which read: “I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue.”

Update: Tambor has released a statement in which he further denies the accusations and expresses disappointment in Jill Soloway.

“I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me. I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterization of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow cast mates,” he said.

Tambor added, “In our four-year history of working together on this incredible show, these accusations have NEVER been revealed or discussed directly with me or anyone at Amazon. Therefore, I can only surmise that the investigation against me was deeply flawed and biased toward the toxic politicized atmosphere that afflicted our set. As I have consistently stated, I deeply regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone and I will continue to vehemently defend myself. I also deeply regret that this ground-breaking show, which changed so many lives, is now in jeopardy. That, to me, is the biggest heartbreak.”

AMC is digging further into the crime drama business with “McMafia.” Based on the novel by Misha Glenny, the series explores the mafia’s global network through the eyes of Alex Godman (James Norton), an unwilling participant who nevertheless has close ties to the crime world. AMC has already released the trailer for the series, which premieres later this month.

The network has now also released a sneak peek of a key scene in the series premiere, which features Alex and his girlfriend Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) talking to Alex’s uncle Boris (David Dencik). In the scene, Boris tries to convince Alex to do business with him and is turned down. The series will likely feature no shortage of tense exchanges like this, especially as Alex moves deeper into the world of organized crime. Here’s the full synopsis for the series:

“The series charts Alex Godman’s journey through a terrifying labyrinth of international criminals, money launderers, corrupt politicians and ruthless intelligence agencies. As the English-raised son of Russian exiles with a mafia history, Alex has spent his life trying to escape the shadow of his family’s criminal past by building his own legitimate business and forging a life with his girlfriend. When his family’s past murderously returns to threaten the life he has built, Alex is drawn into the criminal world and forced to confront his values to protect those he loves. What starts out as a story of survival and revenge becomes an epic tale of one man’s struggle against the lures of corruption in the modern world and in himself.”

“McMafia” is co-created by Hossein Amini (“Drive”) and James Watkins (“The Woman in Black”). The series premieres on AMC on Monday, February 26. Check out the exclusive sneak peek from the premiere below:

Now, the folks behind the show have done the world a favor and released a clip from the initial audition process, which features the soon-to-be Claire and Jamie experiencing an intense moment of bonding.

A screen test like this, sometimes known as a “chemistry read,” is basically an opportunity for producers to see how two actors in consideration would play opposite each other. Sometimes, the experience is an awkward bout of speed dating. And sometimes, it’s the sort of immediate engagement like we see in the clip below.

Given how many TV shows have become massive successes due to the connection between their leads (“Friends,” “The X-Files,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Sex and the City”) the importance of finding two actors who can make something as simple as a forehead nuzzle both touching and sensual cannot be understated — even for “Outlander,” a show that does not fail to let its characters take things to a more erotic place.

In these short minutes, we get to see how Claire and Jamie became a true phenomenon, as did “Outlander.” Check out the clip below, which will also be available in the “Outlander” Season 3 DVD and Blu-ray, set to arrive April 10. “Outlander” returns for Season 4 in fall 2018.

There’s been a recent surge in TV shows exploring the world of aspiring comedians, but don’t assume that they feel like they’re in competition with each other. In fact, “Crashing” star Jamie Lee is, in her own words, “obsessed” with Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

And she’s not the only cast member of the HBO comedy, executive produced by Judd Apatow and inspired by Pete Holmes’s own stand-up journey, who likes the Golden Globe-winning series about another young comedian, coping with the adultery of a spouse.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Holmes told IndieWire during a sitdown with the cast and producer Oren Brimer at SCAD aTVfest earlier this month. “I haven’t seen all of it, but [‘Mrs. Maisel’] is doing a great job.”

“Crashing” features Holmes as a comic who embarks on a life of couch-surfing after he discovers that his wife is cheating on him; now midway through its second season, Pete has built up some success on stage, but is still floundering in his personal life, especially when it comes to his relationship with fellow comedian Ali (Lee).

Of course, when Pete first finds out that his wife is cheating on him, he goes out and ends up bombing on stage while trying to talk about it — which is the opposite of what happens with Mrs. Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan).

Brimer noted both similarities and differences, saying that “I think it’s so interesting because it’s very similar in story structure to ours — a person finds out they were getting cheated on and they go do standup right away. And that’s where we diverge. We show a potentially more realistic version that’s like, ‘Oh no, it’s terrible. You don’t have an act about it yet so you’re probably not going to do great.’ But for her, it’s all about her emotion and it’s unlocked at that point.”

It was even a direction that Holmes and the writers considered going, with the character’s first big set following his breakup. Holmes didn’t think it was unrealistic that a comedian could have a great moment on stage after an emotional set-back like that. “I’ve had breakups where I go up and talk about it,” he said. “But we really wanted to dig in that Pete stinks, and everything’s going to happen as close to real time as possible. The show’s called–”

Lee jumped in. “‘Crashing,’ not ‘Flourishing.'”

For everyone we spoke to, it was easy to identify with their characters, given their backgrounds in comedy — not just the glamorous aspects, but the more brutal realities for those starting out in the scene.

Fowler agreed, especially regarding one ritual we see Pete perform regularly in each episode — passing out flyers on the street, trying to get bodies into their theaters. “I used to ‘bark’ for The Comic Strip from the Upper East Side, and the barking scenes are — that shit’s real man,” he said.

“It’s visceral,” said Lee.

“You meet a lot of really fucked up weird people and you meet a lot of people who think you’ve cheated them,” Fowler said. “Those scenes to me hit hard because I was in those situations a lot when I first started.”

Added Brimer, “I’ve seen a lot of shows that show people when they’ve already become very successful in stand-up, but I think our show does a good job of showing what it’s like when you aren’t a household name and you aren’t making money at it and you’re just grinding at it.”

Lee, as Ali, represents a part of the New York alt comedy world, which she said was “something I was very familiar with.”

It was a deliberate choice, according to Holmes. “As much as we can use people that are actually stand-up — writers all the way up — I think that’s what hopefully gives the show an authentic feel.”

In fact, much of the action was driven by improv, something which Fowler appreciated. “‘Crashing’ was my first scripted TV gig. And for the first season, I was playing Russell, and I was memorizing my lines for the role and I was so nervous cause I was like ‘Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck I don’t want to ruin the scenes and shit.’ So I get there and Pete and the director are like ‘Okay, so just wing it, do your thing.’ I was like ‘YES!’ Yeah man, that’s all I can do, just be myself. It was the best fucking feeling ever.”

Said Holmes in response, “It’s like a show made by us about us. It’s like the FUBU of shows.”

Lee said that she’d been asked if Ali was essentially a version of herself, which she didn’t necessarily think was true. “I feel like when I watch her on screen she’s so much more confident and self-assured than I was when I was starting out,” she said. “I feel like I would act confidently on stage but it was all an act. With her, I actually believe that she believes in herself, which is a refreshing thing to see on TV.”

And for Lee, that includes “Mrs. Maisel,” which she reiterated she found inspiring. “Even though it’s supposed to be the late 1950s, there are so many things that she goes through as a stand-up, as a girl stand-up, that feels so relevant and applicable to what I went through, which is crazy because of the time gap,” she said. “But I watch it and I’m like, I can’t even point to specific moments, but I feel like it hits me in my gut in a very real way. I didn’t expect to feel that, considering it was the 1950s.”

That speaks to why stories about stand-ups continue to be popular year after year. A man or a woman walks to a mic, with one goal: make you laugh. Times may change, but the joy and terror of that moment remain universal.